FREMANTLE has pulled off a re-signing coup with an extension for coach Ross Lyon for two years beyond his existing contract.

Lyon, 47, will stay on until at least the end of 2017.

Lyon is in the middle of a four-year term and announced his extension just a week ahead of a season opener against power club Colingwood in Melbourne.

Regarded as one of the most astute and innovative coaches in the league, Lyon said his decision to agree to a contract extension, was influenced by his players and their endeavour and desire to achieve.

Lyon took Fremantle into their first Grand Final last season in 19 years since joining the AFL back in 1995.

The Dockers are again a frontline favourite to win this year’s premiership under Lyon’s strict defensive systems as the tightest team to score against in the league.

“We are in the business of building a great club and I know everyone at the club. Players, coaches, administration staff and commercial operations, are trying to take that next step and continue to build,” Lyon said.

“The pillars of leadership here that sit above me and I report to — (president) Steve Harris and his board, (CEO) Steve Rosich and Chris Bond as head of football — have strong, transparent relationships and everyone works really hard with strong integrity to achieve the task at hand.

“We are here to build a great club and great clubs win premierships and that’s what we want to be.”

Lyon made his announcement in Fremantle late on Friday morning.

Just last week the four-times AFL Grand Final coach, after his three at St Kilda in 2009 and 2010, said in a television interview he was keen to extend his contract at Fremantle.

Lyon would have been heavily targeted by eastern states clubs to leave Fremantle if he had not confirmed a long term commitment to the Dockers.

He took over Fremantle in acrimonious circumstances in September of 2011 just days after he walked out on St Kilda where he had coached for five seasons.

He took the Saints into the 2009 title play-off against power side Geelong and lost by just two goals and then suffered the heart-ache of a Grand Final tie with Collingwood a year later only to be trounced in the replay by 56 points.

He engineered the Dockers into last season’s finals with a club-record breaking home-and-away 16 wins and a draw and orchestrated the club’s greatest ever victory in an unlikely first final against the Cats at Geelong.

He has led the Dockers into finals in successive seasons for the first time in the club’s history and have been widely expected through AFL circles to repeat that in 2014 with a crucial top-four finish and double chance in the September play-off series.

Dockers chief executive Steve Rosich told PerthNow last month that any prospect to re-sign the highly regarded Lyon would “take place quickly” once the coach expressed any interest.

Keeping Lyon for the long term is a significant achievement for Dockers management in a strategic plan for sustained success and to remain within touch of Fremantle’s first premiership.

“Ross’s work ethis, expertise and determination to excel in all areas of football have had a tremendous influence through the club,” Rosich said.

“The challenge for everyone at Fremantle is to continue our focus on improvement and we believe that Ross is integral to that aim.

“Ross is a highly motivated and driven person who has many fine traits that we believe are the right combination to maximise our potential on the field.”